Unlucky
by x Hymn of the Fayth x
Summary: Haru was considered unlucky ever since birth. Now, she's on her own, in a new town. Things seem to brighten. But will it always be this way... [Yes, this is DN Angel.]
1. Change Is For the Better

_**U n l u c k y**_

**_By: R e s u r r e c t _**

I'm having trouble uploading the second chapter to Fade, so it'll take a little long to put up. Sorry!

But anyway, I thought of this story while riding home the other day, and I thought, 'Hey, why not?'

_Insert text here - _Thoughts.

_**Chapter 1 - C h a n g e I s F o r T h e B e t t e r**_

Magic? Fairy tales? Happy ever after? Hah. I've never believed in anything like that. Unicorns, spirits, vampires... especially vampires. If I can see it and touch it, then it's real. Of course I think there's a God, don't get me wrong. But has there ever been proof of apparitions and things like that? If there is, I'd like to see it.

When my father died last winter, my sisters and I went from poor to penniless. My sisters, of course, were able to find work. But I, the unlucky one, was unable to find work. Why am I unlucky? My mother died while giving birth to me, so most would say I'm an evil spirit or omen. My sisters, Tsuki and Hana, would usually blame me if mice got to the food or if the plants in the garden wilted, or if one of them got ill. "Haru, what have you done this time?" They would say. Tsuki was a two years older than I, and Hana was one year older. Tsuki would start the accusations, and Hana would back her up like a good little underling. But they meant well, they were my sisters.

My father was the one who wasn't the fool. He was wise beyond his years, and kind. But he was weak since he was a baby, which was why my mother's parents didn't want him to marry Hisakata, my mother. They wanted to keep strong bloodlines, or something like that. But they ran away together, and married. Then, they began their life here, in this small town.

Tsuki said that she was young when mother when mother died, but she could still remember mother's beautiful, unscathed face. She said that mother had long hair, and had once cut it and sold it for money without telling father. She had feared that father would be angry at her, for her hair was her most wonderful feature, as Tsuki would say. Of course, father was surprised when he found she had cut her hair to buy medicine for him, but all he did was hold her and say, "My dear Hisakata, you are too beautiful inside and out, too beautiful for words to describe."

"Dispose of that demon right away! She will bring misfortune upon all of us!" the midwife ordered the hour mother died. My father refused. He told the midwife, "No, I will not dispose of the child. I see so much of my wife in her... but I am speaking this on Hisakata's behalf. It is her daughter, and I am choosing what she would decide."

My name, Haru Kusabana, means "Spring Flower." I was born on the first day of spring, so naturally, that's what my father named me.

So, after he died, I traveled to a slightly large town located near the mountains, looking for work. I looked for work for a day, not finding anything promising. I had to sleep The next day, I wandered from place to place. After a while, I gave up. I went to an inn, sitting down at one of the oak tables. No food, no money... as most would say... I was a goner.

"_What am I going to do?" I whispered. I felt so helpless. "Hey, lady?" said a voice over my shoulder. I turned my head to look at the one who spoke. There stood a man, he was slightly pudgy. His chubby cheeks were pink He reminded me of Santa Claus, except without the beard. _

But right about then, I got really lucky.

"_Are you going to buy something, or what?" _

_I shook my head. "I can't. I have no money. But, if I could please just stay here one night... I'll repay you, I promise." _

"_How old are ya, miss?" _

"_Nineteen." _

_He was silent. He studied me, rubbing his chin. He spoke up again, "I s'pose you can have somethin' ta eat... I don't 'spect nothin' from ya." _

"_Wait- you don't have to-" He cut me off. "Yer a nice gal. I can see that. Ya at least deserve somethin' ta eat, I don't mind givin ya tha food." _

_He then walked away, disappearing into the back room. "A gal like yerself shouldn't be wanderin' the streets, these days..." he said to himself as he went to the back room. _

"_Huh?" I uttered confusedly. What did he mean, 'A gal like yourself shouldn't be wandering the streets these days'? _

_He came back, holding a plate. On the plate was a hard-boiled egg, bread, and a hunk of cheese. Setting the plate down on the table, he sat down across from her. "Eat," he ordered. _

_He watched her as she ate hungrily. When she finished, he said, "You'll start tomorrow. Just 'cause yer a gal, doesn't mean I don't 'spect ya ta clean tha dirty places, s'well." _

_I cocked my head to one side. "Huh?" _

_He sighed. "Are ya deaf? I know ya don't have a place ta stay. 'Sides, we need someone to help out here."_

"_..What?" _

"_Are ya a parrot? Guess so. Anyways..." he scratched the top of his balding head. "Ya can work here, if you want. I'll pay ya, food and a room s'well. Call me Gurei." _

_I jumped up from the chair, practically knocking it down. "ARE YOU SERIOUS! I CAN WORK HERE!" I screeched. _

_He recoiled back slightly, shocked by the sudden outburst. "Er, yeah. Ya can help the others. Just take the customers their orders, and help clean the place up." _

_I jumped with joy. "Hooray!" I smiled for the first time in what seemed like days. "I'll work really hard, I promise!" _

That's how I started working here, at the Silver Pony Inn.

Morning sunlight illuminated the room, waking Haru from her slumber. She hadn't slept this well since she didn't know when. She sat up, stretching her arms and yawning. She smiled as she looked out the window at the rising sun. She slipped out of bed, walking over to the dresser in the corner of the room. She frowned at she looked at her reflection. Long, light pink hair that went to her waist, and blue eyes.

She never knew what to do with her hair. She picked up a brush from the dresser and ran it through her tangled hair, wincing at the brush yanked and pulled out the strands hair. Someone grabbed her wrist, and gently took the brush.

"That's not how you do it. You're going to go bald. Here, let me."

Fuyu jumped, and whipped around. A girl was standing there, right behind her, with a frown on her face as she held the brush. She looked about the same age as Haru, if not younger. Her curly brown hair stopped at her shoulders, and her curls perfectly framed her pale face.

"I can't brush your hair when you're looking straight at me. You're weird," she said calmly.

Haru was silent for a moment, her jaw dropping. "ME weird? How the HELL did you get in here!"

The girl rested a hand on her hip, tapping her foot impatiently. "I work here. And I just came in. You must be as stupid as a jack ass not to notice me."

A jack ass? A jack ass? Sure, Haru was not much of a morning person, but how could this... this girl compare her to a donkey! How could she be so blunt! The girl sighed, sounding annoyed. She walked around Haru, stepping behind her and beginning to brush her hair.

"You've got so many tangles. It's like a rat's nest. But I can get them out. By the way, my name's Rikka."

Haru stayed silent while Rikka brushed her hair. "Wait, you work here?"

"I already said that once. You're stupider than I thought."

She whipped around to face Rikka. "Really! We work together!"

Rikka frowned. "I wasn't done brushing."

"Oh... sorry." she turned back around and Rikka began to brush her hair again. After a while, she said, "Alright, I'm done. Take a look."

She looked in the mirror, and gasped at her reflection. Rikka had brushed her hair thoroughly (from what she could see) and put it in a neat bun. Locks of hair that refused to be tamed framed her face.

"Thank you so much Rikka! My hair has never looked this nice," she said, turning to face her.

Rikka was silent. She was smiling deviously, as if keeping a secret. "You're late to work, you know." Haru's jaw dropped. "WHAT! But I was up when the sun was rising!" she argued.

"Well, you have to get up at five. Every day, except Sunday. Gurei asked me to come get you, he thought you were dead."

Haru hadn't noticed that Rikka had, all this time, been wearing a uniform. It looked like a maid's. "M-My uniform! Where is it!" she cried hysterically, searching through drawers, in the closet, and even under her bed.

"You mean this? Gurei didn't give it to you yesterday. He asked me to give it to you." Rikka was holding a uniform identical to hers. It included little black shoes, which looked uncomfortable. Haru ceased her frantic searching. "Oh."

Rikka held the uniform out to her. "Here. Take it. After you put it on, get downstairs immediately. I have to get back to work."

With that, she walked out, shutting the door behind her. Haru looked at the uniform. It looked fit for a maid. She slipped out of her nightgown, and slipped on the uniform and the shoes. Surprisingly, the shoes were actually quite comfortable. She looked at herself in the mirror. The uniform was a perfect fit. "Here I go."

She slowly peeked her head around the door, looking slightly embarrassed, and quietly walked down the stairs. Rikka was cleaning a table, she didn't notice Haru walk into the room. She was totally transfixed on cleaning the tables.

"Well, good mornin'!" said Gurei, who was behind the bar, cleaning cups. Haru smiled. "Good morning."

"I hope the uniform fits well?"

"It fits fine, thanks."

"Right then. You'd best start cleanin' the tables now. Myou'll handle the dishes," he said, picking up another cup to clean.

"Myou?" she echoed.

"Myou, reporting for duty! Myou's heeeeeere!"

In the blink of an eye, something fell on top of her, knocking her down. "Oof!"

The something was a girl who looked to be about eleven, maybe ten. Her hair was tied in two pig tails. There were soap suds all over her arms and hands. "Wow! Myou's fall was stopped by a squishy-ishy thing!" She looked down at Haru. "Hello Squishy-Ishy Thing!"

"Would you mind... getting off me...now..."

"Oh! Myou is very sorry!" she jumped up onto her feet. "You saved Myou's life, Squishy-Ishy!"

Haru stood, brushing herself off. "Um, I have a name, too." Myou giggled. "Then you should have told Myou your name, silly Squishy!"

"Er... it's Haru..." she replied. "Oh! Okies, Miss Haru! I'm Myou!" she said happily. "So I've heard."

Myou giggled, "Myou has to get back to washing dishes now!" she went to the backroom.

For the rest of the of the day, Haru helped clean tables and wash the floors. She was a little slow, which Rikka criticized. She attempted washing dishes, but dropped a few. That's when she decided that she should avoid washing dishes for a while.

But after the day was done, she was really tuckered out. She was heading upstairs, thrilled by the idea of the warm, comfortable bed awaiting her in her room.

"Haru, can ya do me a favor?" said Gurei from downstairs. She sighed. _I'm just too nice. Ok, polite... be polite... keep your job... _

She walked downstairs again, dragging tired feet behind her. "Yes Gurei..." she said, letting out a yawn.

He was putting away cups for the night, and cleaning the counter. "I'm a little bit tied up at the moment, so can ya go buy these things from Lettie's Market? It's not too far from here, ya can't miss it. I'm sure they're still open," he handed her a list of items and a handful of coins. After looking over the list and putting it in her pocket along with the money, she nodded to him. "All right. I'll be right back."

After grabbing a scarf, she headed out the door. The cold night air felt refreshing, but only slightly. The sooner she got this done, the better. But, since it was her first job that Gurei had assigned her, she figured it'd be better not to mess up. She retrieved the piece of paper from her pocket, and looked it over once more.

_Eggs_

_Milk_

_Cheese_

_Apples_

_Cigars_

She smacked her forehead after she read the last one. _Well, I'll just leave that out of the list. He shouldn't be wasting money on those kinds of things anyway, thank you very much. _

She stopped walking when she got to the town square. "Now, where...?" She looked around for "Lettie's Market" as Gurei had mentioned. She spotted a wagon, with a sign adorning it, labeled in fading letters, "Lettie's Market."

"There it is," she said, heading toward it. In back of the wagon there were crates of various sizes, filled with produce and plump vegetables.

An old woman was retrieving people's orders from the wagon, hurrying about in such a manner that most old woman wouldn't dare try.

"Thank you, come again. Ah, what can I do for ya, dear child?"said the old woman as Haru went up to the wagon. "Er.. Are you Lettie?" Haru asked.

"Well, there ain't no other Lettie's around here, so I guess I am," said Lettie, laughing slightly. "What can I do for ya?"

"Hold on," said Haru, searching her pocket for the list. "Here it is." She retrieved it from her pocket, and handed it to the old woman. Lettie looked over the list for a minute, the said, "All right. Just a minute."

She hurried about in that same manner, retrieving everything Haru needed. As she was putting the packet of cigars in the bag, Haru stopped her, saying, "Wait, leave those out. Gurei really doesn't need those."

Lettie smiled, nodding in understanding. She handed the bag to Haru. "Here's everything ya need, child. That'll be fifteen pancs."

She handed Lettie the amount needed, and took the bag. She bid goodbye to the old woman, she started to make her way home. The streets had gotten darker since she had left the Inn, and without the dim light of the street lamps, she probably wouldn't be able to see at all.

As she walked down the quiet streets, surroundings began to become more unfamiliar to her. She hadn't remembered going past that Flower Shop... questions began to fill her mind, but the most frequent question that popped in and out of her mind as she tried to find the way back was: Where was she?

She had been walking for a while, and her feet her beginning to grow tired, and she was afraid that the food might spoil. She spotted a bench that was placed under a streetlight. "There.. I'll rest over there."

She hurried over to the bench on tired feet, and sat down. She sighed. It felt good to sit down. As she relaxed a little, she began to become more aware of her surroundings. Crickets were busying in song, and the moon shined a dim light above her. But despite the peaceful atmosphere, she was beginning to grow scared. How would she find her way home?

That's the first chapter! And a cliffhanger, too! Muahahaha! Please, leave reviews! Still wondering how this links to DN Angel? Find out in the next chapter of Unlucky!


	2. The Good, the Bad, & the Bounty Hunters

_**U n l u c k y**_

**_By: R e s u r r e c t _**

---

Here's chapter 2! I'll upload the 2nd Chapter of Fade really soon!

_Insert text here - _Thoughts.

_**Chapter 2 - The Good, the Bad, and the Bounty Hunters**_

Last time in Chapter 1 of Unlucky -

Oh no! Haru's gotten lost in that new town... how will she ever find her way back? _Can_ she find her way back, before unwanted company finds _her_? Find out in Chapter 2, of Unlucky!

Haru shivered. It was becoming colder as the night drew on. She tightened the scarf around her neck. She wished that she had brought a coat with her...

This moment reminded her of when she was little, in her hometown. As pleasant thoughts filled her mind, her eyes began to close, weighed down by her fatigue. When they closed, she slowly entered a realm she could only go to in her dreams, and memories that had long past began to replay...

"_Daddy! Daddy! Daddy, where are you?" A little girl cried out as she desperately searched the rooms of her house. She wore a simple nightgown, and carried a teddy bear with her. Lightning lit the sky and thunder boomed, while rain pitter-pattered upon the earth outside._

"_Daddy!" the little girl cried as she spotted him in his room, looking out the window at the rain. He turned. "Haru?"_

_He hurried over to her and scooped her up in his arms. "What's wrong?" he asked, wiping the tears that tainted her rosy cheeks. _

"_Daddy... the lightning... it's going to hit the house, and the thunder is so loud... Daddy, I'm really scared! And I had a nitemare, too!" she said, hugging her teddy bear. _

_The man laughed slightly. "Is that all my Haru was worried about?" _

_The girl nodded. "You don't need to be afraid of them, Haru. Lightning and thunder won't ever touch you, as long as Daddy's around." _

_The girl smiled. "Really, Daddy?"_

"_Really."_

_He set her on her feet, and took her little hand in his. "Now, tell me about the dream." _

_As they walked to Haru's room, she began to explain her dream. "Well Tsuki and Hana told me that I had been bad, and that bad girls are always sucked dry by the vampires late at night. And in my dream... a vampire came out from under my bed and reached out to grab me!" _

_They reached her room. Haru's father set her on her bed. "Okay. Now, I'm going to look under the bed, okay?" _

_He bent down and looked under the bed. "No vampires." he said. He sat on the bed next to Haru. "See?" _

_He ruffled her hair. She giggled. He pointed to her teddy bear. "Your teddy bear..." he said. _

"_Mr. Fuzzy?" she replied, looking down at the plushie. "Yes," her father replied, "Mr. Fuzzy will always protect you from anything that would want to harm you." _

_She hugged her teddy bear. "I'll protect you too, Daddy." _

_All was silent for a moment. Then, her father laughed. And it slowly turned into a cruel, menacing laugh. _

"_Daddy?" the girl's voice trembled. _

"_You know, Haru... it's too bad that you couldn't help me when I died..." at that, he took the flesh on his cheek bone, slowly peeling it off, revealing the bone underneath. _

_The girl screamed. "No, Daddy! I was trying to help you! I was getting herbs because Tsuki and Hana were busy and-"_

_The decaying figure reached toward her. "Look what you've done to me, Haru..."_

"_Nooooooo!" she screamed. _

Haru woke up with a start, shaking all over. She shut her eyes tight and hugged herself. "Why..."

Behind her, she could her someone walking from the alleyway. "F-footsteps?" she turned with a start. No one there. She turned back around, and found herself face-to-face with... a handsome man, who just came out of nowhere. His face was lit up by the ghostly light of the street lamp, making him look slightly eerie. He had pale skin, and stunning, golden eyes. Blonde hair framed his face. His clothes were strange, almost completely white.

He smiled. "Why hello, mademoiselle."

She could feel her cheeks become hot. "Er, um... hello." He was a little too close for comfort, and he kept _staring_ at her. She looked at her feet. But after a moment, she dared to look at him again. She found herself staring into those brilliant, golden eyes of his.

This time, she couldn't look away. They were just full of something she couldn't understand... either curiosity, or wonder...

"Your bag?" he said. He held out the bag full of the things she had bought earlier. She took it from him slowly, focusing her gaze on the bag. "Thank you," she replied quietly.

"Are you lost?" he asked softly. She was shocked. How did he know? She looked at him and nodded.

He pointed. "Then I believe you should go that way, if you want to go back from where you came." She looked in the direction he was pointing.

There was an alleyway there. Why hadn't she noticed that before? "Thank yo-"

She found him staring at her _again. _"I'm glad to help, mademoiselle."

She nodded, and headed toward the alleyway. When she got to the entrance, she looked back to where he was standing. The man was gone. Had she hallucinated? No, no.. it seemed real. Too real.

When she got back to the inn, she was greeted by a scolding from Gurei, criticism from Rikka, and hugs from Myou. But most of all, she was happy to have found her way back.

- - -

The Next Day...

- - -

_**Crash.**_

"DAMMIT HARU!" yelled Rikka as she walloped Haru over the head. "No more washing plate for you! You're as clumsy as a duck!"

Haru ducked out of the kitchen and when to the front room, where Myou was cleaning tables and serving orders.

"Haru, going help Myou," said Gurei, as two new customers walked in. One was wearing a black hat, the wide brim covering his eyes from view. The other, who's hair looked like fire, had a slightly nervous expression on his face. They both sat down at a table in the corner of the dimly lit room. Haru walked over to their table. "What can I get you?" she asked politely.

The one wearing the hat pushed up the brim. He had amethyst-colored eyes, and wild, purple hair, that was mostly kept tame by the hat. "It depends," he started, looking her over, "What's in your shirt?"

_**WHAM! **_

"BAKA! YOU PERVERT!" she yelled after walloping him over the head.

The red-haired one had backed away slightly, his eyes wide with either fear or shock after watching what she did to the purple-haired one. She turned to him with a sweet smile. "What can I get you?" she asked sweetly.

"C-can I g-get some w-water? P-Please?" he stammered. The purple-haired one balanced himself on the table. "What about me?" he asked, giving a wink.

"None for you!" she answered.

"Who said anything about food?" he said, reaching over toward her chest.

**_...Uh-oh._** **_He really doesn't know when to quit. _**

She cocked her hand back, and let it fly.

_**SMACK! **_

He was rubbing his cheek, which was turning quite red from when her hand had collided with it. She smiled at red-haired. "One glass of water, coming right up."

She retrieved the boy's order, and brought it back to him, setting it down on the table. She sat at the table with them, on the other side of red-haired, away from the purple pervert.

"I've never seen you two before. Have you just traveled here?" she asked. Red-haired took a sip of his water, remaining silent.

"Dark Mousy's the name. This-" he said, referring to red-haired, "-is my nephew, Daisuke. He's my apprentice."

"Nice to meet you two," she replied.

Dark went on. "We're bounty hunters," he said, "But we hunt mythical creatures."

"Mmhm," Daisuke said quietly.

"What did you two come here for? Fairies?" she said with a laugh. He grinned.

"We've come to kill a vampire."

Daisuke cut in. "Not any vampire," he said quietly.

"The vampire king," Dark finished.

Muhahahaha! Cliffhanga! Happy Easter to everyone, celebraters or no! Sorry this chapter is short, I had to rush it!


	3. The Vampire King

_**U n l u c k y**_

**_By: R e s u r r e c t _**

_Insert text here - _Thoughts.

**_Chapter 3 -_** **_T h e V a m p i r e K i n g _**

Vampire _what_? What the heck is that pervert Dark talking about? And who was that mysterious man who helped Haru that night? It's all too confusing!

"Vampire _what_?" said Haru.

"The Vampire King. We've come here to hunt him down," said Dark.

Haru couldn't believe her ears. Vampire King? Yeah right! There were no such thing as vampires! She would have burst out laughing right then, but controlled herself, she didn't want to seem rude.

"Why did you come to hunt him?" she asked, letting her curiosity take over. "Well," Dark began, "Lately, young girls have been-"

Daisuke cut him off, as if he had already known what Dark was going to say. "Disappearing lately. In one case... one was found..." he trailed off.

"Dead." Dark finished.

"Dead?" Haru echoed.

"Yes. One day, she was helping with chores around the house, and the next, she was gone. Not a trace of the girl was anywhere. A week or so later, she was found in an alleyway," he explained.

"How do you know it was a vampire? It could have been anything!" Haru argued.

"We have our reasons," said Dark.

He didn't like the sound of that. "It would be wise not to go out late at night these days."

After the two left, Haru was still wondering if there really was a Vampire King. Why would they lie to her? But she still had her doubts about it. She'd believe it when she saw it.

She sighed. It was really late.. And she was tired. She looked over at Gurei, who was cleaning mugs behind the bar. She walked over, sitting on one of the high chairs. "Gurei..."

"I know what yer gonna ask me. Ya want a day off."

"Um, no, not really... Dark was talking about a Vampire King, and-" Gurei cut her off.

"There's no Vampire King, it's a load 'o hog wash..." he said hastily, then added, "But girls 'ave been disappearing' lately... that why I took ya in. Didn't want to nothin' to happen to ya."

Haru was slightly surprised. He didn't even know her at the time, yet he took her in and kept her work for him. "Gurei... why _did_ you take me in?"

"I just told ya."

"Gurei... please, tell me the truth."

He sighed, and ran a hand through his balding hair, as if it was a tender subject. "I can't. Don' want to talk 'bout it."

She rested a hand on his shoulder. "Please."

"My daughter... a few months ago, she went to the market, late one night... never... never came back... she went missin' round the same time the others did," he explained, he sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

_His daughter? He never told me he had a daughter!_ She thought. "I'm sorry, Gurei.. I'm so sorry... I'm sure she'll turn up," she assured.

He nodded, wiping his eyes. "Everyone says that... but there's been no trace of 'er, and I'm startin' ta lose hope..."

"She'll turn up, I'm positive," she told him. He nodded, and smiled at her. "Yer such a nice gal... always cheerin' people up. Now, get on up ta bed.. It's gettin' late."

She nodded, and smiled, then headed upstairs. As she was walking upstairs and down the hallway towards her room, she thought about what Dark had said, and about Gurei's daughter.

_I hope Gurei finds his daughter unharmed..._ she thought, as she opened the door to her room. She walked in. Ever since she started working here, the most peaceful place was this room. _Her_ room. She just felt so safe and contented here... and when she had breaks, she would sit on her windowsill and daydream.

She walked over to her window, and opened it. The inn was two story, so there was a beautiful view of the town.

Tonight, it was even more beautiful. There was a full moon, in a cloudless sky. The moon shined brightly upon the town, it looked so peaceful. The only sounds were that of owls and crickets. All else was quiet.

Then, she heard faint footsteps, down in the alleyway below her window. She quickly diverted her gaze in the direction of the sound.

She saw a woman walking down the alleyway. Haru noticed that the woman was looking behind her, frequently.

Then, someone appeared, right out of nowhere, right in front of the woman, stopping her in her tracks.

"I can't see..." she said, leaning out the window a bit farther. She looked more closely at the person who had appeared in front of the woman. Haru let out a small gasp. _It's the man from before!_

The woman backed away, attempting to make a run for it. But the blonde haired man grabbed her by the arm, and spun her around.

"What's he doing?" she said, leaning out the window even farther. He took the woman by the shoulders, and, pulled down her sleeve, revealing her neck., as she struggled to break free.

He opened his mouth. "What in the world-" Haru uttered.

His canine teeth grew to sharp fangs. Then, he bit down, digging them into the woman's neck, covering her mouth as she tried to scream. Her blood flowed from the wound, soaking her shirt. After a few moments, her struggling ceased, and her body grew limp in his arms. She was dead.

He dropped her on the ground. The woman's blood was dripping from the corners of his mouth.

Haru gasped. Realizing it was louder than intended, she covered her mouth. He looked up, straight at her. His golden eyes caught her blue ones. They seemed to pierce through her. She ran from the windowsill, toward her bedroom door, grabbing the doorknob. It wouldn't budge. She turned it left and right, pulling at the door, trying to open it.

The room suddenly grew cold. She whipped around. The blonde haired man was standing in there, next to her window.

_Why did I leave the window open!_ She thought to herself, cursing mentally with a few words she'd learned from Rikka.

He walked across the room, toward her. She tried to move, tried to scream, but she was frozen there, on the spot, pinned by his gaze.

Now, they were only inches apart. Haru was terrified, he eyes wide with fear. "N-No... stay away..." she said, her voice scarcely above a whisper, her heart beating rapidly.

He did not answer. He reached up, gently touching her cheek with his finger tips. _Wha-What's he doing! _

He moved his fingers down to her neck. She couldn't take it. The fear was too much. She passed out. Her caught her, right before she hit the floor.

- - -

That was chapter 3! Sorry I had to rush it! See you next time, in the next chapter of Unlucky!

-Resurrect


	4. Where Am I?

_**U n l u c k y**_

**_By: R e s u r r e c t _**

It seems people actually like Unlucky. OO;;

_Insert text here - _Thoughts.

**_Chapter 4 - W h e r e A m I?_**

What's happened? Oh dear! Haru's fainted...and at the worst time! Now, in the hands of this mysterious man, what will happen to her, and will escape his clutches... alive?

**-xxxxxxx-**

"Elma. Make sure to follow my directions."

"Yes, my lord."

**-xxxxxxxx-**

Haru awoke with a start, sitting up immediately. She held a hand to her head, which was throbbing right at the moment. "What... happened?" she said quietly as she observed her surroundings.

She was in a dark room, and the only light was a candle on a table in the corner of the room, and the moonlight pouring in through an open window. "Where... am I?" she said to herself.

_Wait... what am I wearing?_

She was wearing a white nightgown. It looked eerie in the moonlight coming into the room.

She scooted to the edge of the bed. It was a canopy bed, and the blankets were a deep red.

You see, Haru wasn't really the "waking up" type. She was... a little slow at remembering things when she woke up.

As she grew more alert and awake, slowly, the happenings of the night before came back to her. She hopped off the bed and dashed to a mirror on the other side of the bed, and peered at the reflection that occupied the mirror.

Everything... looked normal.

_Wait, what am I fussing about? Vampires don't exist, real simple. He's not a vampire.. _

Wait, maybe it had all been a dream. Yes.. A dream. A very realistic, strange dream.. But how did that explain where she was? She didn't know.

She looked at the pupils of her eyes, as well. They looked normal, as well. But then she noticed something. She pulled down the collar of the nightgown, and noticed... two marks on her neck. They were scabs now, but... where did they come from?

She frantically looked at the mirror once more. Everything else seemed perfectly normal. She remembered something she had heard in fairytales about vampires. But that was a long time ago. Even so, she remembered that their reflections didn't appear in mirrors. Hers did.

"Are you Haru?" said a gentle voice. Haru spun around. There was a woman standing there... a very... transparent woman. Haru could see the moonlight reflecting right through her. The woman was watching her, with curiosity.

"W-Who are you?" Haru stammered.

"I am Elma. I am somewhat of a housekeeper here."

"Oh."

The woman walked over to the bed, and sat down. "Come sit with me, dear."

Haru hesitated. She didn't know this woman, nor did she know if she could trust her.

"I won't hurt you. Come here."

Doing what Elma asked, she walked over, and sat down next to her. When she did, she noticed that the area around Elma was slightly colder than everywhere else.

"So... you said that you're a housekeeper? Here...?" asked Haru curiously. Unfortunately, she didn't know where _here_ was. "Yes. I clean... and dust things. What I'm told to do. Also, if you were wondering, I'm the one who dressed you, dear."

Haru could feel her cheeks turning hot.

"Your clothes are over there," said Elma, pointing to a chair. And there they were, nicely folded and sitting on the chair.

"Thank you," said Haru, walking over and picking up he clothes. "It was nice to be acquainted with you," Elma replied with a smile, "Also. Lord Krad will be expecting you at dinner. Please mind your manners."

Haru nodded. "Okay."

With that, Elma walked out. Or... went through the door. Literally.

"Lord Krad?" Haru echoed. She looked at her clothes. "Well, better get dressed."

**-xxxxxxxx-**

After she was dressed, Haru walked out, into the hallway. It was dark... and quiet.

But she wasn't going to dinner. She had decided that she was going to escape from here... it seemed safer if she didn't stay here.

But which way would she go? She wasn't familiar with this place, and she didn't know her way around. Most likely, she would get lost. But, being as stubborn as she was, she went down the hallway.

"No use staying there."

While she walked, she noticed many doors, leading to who knows where.

She walked... and walked... and, well, walked. But she found no exit. She stopped, and sighed. "It's no use...I'll never find my way out this way. But I can't stay here.."

She didn't feel like just standing in an empty, eerie, dark hallway for who knows how long. So, she decided to press on. As she rounded the corner, she bumped into someone, letting out an "Oof!"

She looked up to see who it was, and golden eyes met hers.

Krad!

**-xxxxxxxx-**

Rawr!

I had to type this really fast 'cause I'm pretty tied up at the moment... but I typed it up for you guys! I hope you liked it! Please don't get mad at meh.


	5. Rapunzel

_**U n l u c k y**_

**_By: R e s u r r e c t _**

Hah! Here it is! And I'm not releasing information on the pairings! Ever! So you're going to have to figure it out for yourselves! Tsk tsk tsk...

**_PS-_** I moved recently, so I didn't have access to a computer. Sorry, everyone! But I hope you like this chapter all the same!

_Insert text here - _Thoughts.

**_Chapter_** **_5 - R a p u n z e l_**

While attempting to escape, from that blondie, who's name seems to be Krad, she's run right into him! How will she escape his dwelling now?

_**-xxxxxxx-**_

He stared down at her with those golden eyes of his. "I was looking for you." ****

She gulped. What would she do now, now that she had run right into the thing she was trying to evade?

_Ugh... why am I so unlucky? _She thought. "Well- you see, I was just, um... looking... for the bathroom?" she stammered.

He smiled. Why was he smiling! Wasn't he angry!

"It's easy to tell when you're lying, and it's quite hilarious."

She could feel her cheeks becoming hot. Was it that obvious? "It's much past dinner," he began, "Aren't you thinking of going to bed?"

"Why, of course! That's just where I was going now!" she said hastily, turning on her heel and walking away from him.

"That's the wrong way."

She turned right back around, scowling at him. "Oh, and I suppose you know the right way!"

He chuckled. "As a matter of fact, I do."

She just scowled. The meanest, dirtiest scowl that she could muster. And he just kept smiling. Right then, she just really wanted to wipe that smile right off his face.

Then, he turned from her, and began to walk away. "Come on, I'll escort you to your room."

"Hey, don't you dare walk away from me, Blondie!" she yelled, running over to catch up with him. When she caught up, she couldn't help but observe her surroundings. The hallway was completely silent, except for the sound of their footsteps.

"Aren't there any other people here...?" she said, breaking the silence. "Yes, there are," answered Blondie.

"Then... where are they?" she asked, curiosity taking over.

"Oh, watching us from somewhere, I suppose, pondering on whether to label you as prey or not."

"P-Prey!" she cried. He turned around and faced her, looking at her straight in the eyes. "Yes, prey. And the reason they're not attacking you right now is because I'm here. They think you're my property. And, if it hasn't hit you yet, Miss Haru, you'd best start believing in vampires. Because they're real."

_...How does he know my name?_

Then, he turned around and walked over to a door, opening it. "Your room."

She nodded, and walked inside, turning around again to face him. "Er... thank you, I gue-" He was gone.

_How does he keep disappearing like that?_ _Well, I shouldn't think about that... I need to get out of here, _she thought.

She closed the door behind her. She sat down on the bed, and rested her chin in her hands. "How am I going to get out?"

She looked out the open window. The moon was full, and it was bright. That would light her way... when she escaped.

She looked around the room. Maybe something could help her. Almost everything was covered in a thin layer of dust, signifying that this room hadn't been occupied in a very long time. Then, her eyes traveled to the dresser. And, she noticed a book.

She stood, and walked over to the dresser, picking up the book. She blew the dust off the front, and coughed a few times. The front read:

"_**Rapunzel." **_

The picture on the cover was that of a girl holding a rope of braided hair, that reached the bottom of the tower she was in. A prince was at the bottom of the tower, looking up at her. Just then, Haru got an idea.

"I know how I'll escape!"

_**-xxxxxxx-**_

For the next half-an-hour, Haru was taking sheets, pillow cases, curtains, and anything else she could find and tying them together. Then, after she made sure it was secure and tight, she tied the end to the bed post, tossing the "rope" out the window.

She got a firm grip of the rope, and looked out the window. The castle was very large... and the rope just barely reached the bottom. She would have to jump. Thank goodness she found extra blankets and sheets in the closet, or else she'd be doomed.

She gulped, and slowly climbed out the window. Then, slowly and cautiously, she climbed down the rope, shutting her eyes tight and holding on for dear life when the wind blew.

After about fifteen minutes of this, she finally reached the bottom of the rope. Then, let go. She hit the ground hard, but nothing serious. She brushed dirt off her clothes, and looked around. Then, she proudly looked up at the window above her. "Ha! I did it!"

"Now... how will I get back, though?"

She sighed. "Oh well... might as well walk."

Then, she began to walk down the trail that lead to the castle. After a while, she grew tired, and sat down on a log. "How will I ever get ba-"

"HARU! Over here!"

Her head snapped in the direction of the voice. It was Dark and Daisuke! Dark was driving a small cart, lead by an old-looking horse. She jumped up from where she was sitting.

"Dark, Daisuke! Why are you guys here?" she asked. "We were examining what we believe is the Vampire King's castle. Come on, we'll take you home."

_**-xxxxxxx-**_

There! Short... yes... but still a chapter!


	6. Memories Return

_**Unlucky **_

_**By : Dancing Lights/Resurrect **_

I hope you all like this! For the longest time I had writers block, I didn't know what to write! o 

_**-x-x-x-x-x-**_

"We're done for now, Haru, we can take a break."

Haru set the last clean dish is the cupboard, and smiled at Rikka. The brown haired girl smiled back. "You've been dropping less dishes lately, you know."

Haru grinned. "That's good, right?" she said with a laugh. Rikka nodded. "You bet. Better for you, too, since the replacements came out of your salary," she said. Haru groaned. "Don't remind me."

It was only a few days ago that Dark and Daisuke had taken her home after the most strangest of events. It all seemed like a dream, but it was all too real. When she thought about it, though, Haru slightly regretted leaving the castle, she had a few questions for that stupid blonde. How dare he just kidnap her like that, without even asking her first? Well – she would have said no, if he _had_ asked, of course.

"I'll be going up to my room, now," said Rikka, disturbing Haru's thoughts. "Just give me a holler if you need anything."

"O-Okay," said Haru as Rikka went up the stairs. She heard a door close, and she sighed. "Ugh... Now what?" she said. Whenever she finished with work, she had nothing to do, which left her feeling quite bored. She walked over to the window, peering outside. It was a cloudy day, the dark clouds threatened rain. Yet, people were still outside, bustling about and taking care of their daily duties. Haru rested her chin in her hand. "So boring," she muttered. She had already mopped the floor, cleaned dishes with Rikka, and helped Myou with cleaning tables.

The bell chimed a few times, signaling that someone was entering the inn. "Hellooo? Anyone here?" Haru groaned. Not Dark... that pervert was here, again! She walked out of the kitchen. Well, at least Daisuke was with him. It was really hard to believe that Daisuke was Dark's nephew.

'Wait... Dark can tell me a few things about vampires...' she thought. Dark knew almost everything about mythical creatures, he could sometimes go on for hours about it.

She walked up to the table Dark and Daisuke had chosen to sit down at, and smiled. "Why, hello, Daisuke," she said, ignoring Dark's protests of being forgotten about, "What can I get you two?"

Daisuke smiled sweetly, replying with, "Just some water, please."

"And I'll have some... ale, please," said Dark.

Haru nodded. After she had gotten their orders, she sat down next to Daisuke, taking a sip of her own tea. "So, Dark.." she started.

He scooted away a little. "Ok, what do you want?" he said.

She laughed. "Nothing. I was um... just wondering... about... uh... vampires," she explained. Dark grinned, happy that she was asking about one of his favorite subjects. "What about them?"

She didn't want to cause Dark to be suspicious, but she needed to know a few things. "What happens when, you... um.. become.. 'prey'?" she asked. Daisuke gave her a weird look, but she ignored it.

"Well," Dark began, "Once you've become a vampire's prey, it will never rest until it finds you. Running away is almost impossible, unless the vampire itself is eliminated," Dark explained. Haru nodded in understanding. "What happens if a vampire drinks your blood?" she asked.

It's not like... she fully believed in vampires. Part of her did, part of her didn't. But she really needed to know. The scabs on her neck were very suspicious, they had just appeared there one day, and she couldn't recall how she had gotten them.

Dark's voice became very serious. It surprised her slightly. "It takes three times for a human to be bitten to transform into a vampire. Once it happens, there is no way of going back."

'_Three times...'_ She thought. Dark stood abruptly, looking down at Daisuke and saying, "C'mon, we have to leave now."

He looked over at Haru. "Sorry for leaving so suddenly, we have business today."

Haru nodded, watching the two as they left. Letting her mind wander, she looked out the window. There was a slight drizzle, but she knew that rain would be coming soon. Her boredom had not ceased, though. She loathed being bored, because when she was bored, or alone... her mind would wander the past, which she did not ever want to think about, or remember.

"_Haru, you useless wench, go get medicine for our father, if you even care at all. He's feeling sick this morning," Tsuki said coldly, shoving her sister out the door, into the rain. _

"_Tsuki, don't be so..." Hana began. Tsuki snorted. "The least she could do is marry, so we have enough money to buy good medicine. But, no one would want to marry our dear, ugly sister." _

_Haru simply nodded, looking down at her muddy shoes. She looked up at Tsuki, who was scowling at her from the wooden porch. "Can I at least have an umbrella?" she asked. _

_Tsuki smirked, and Haru already knew what the answer was."Who would want to waste an umbrella on you? My and Hana's heads are the ones that should be protected from the rain," she said, taking a moment to stroke her own hair. "Oh." _

_Tsuki went on. "And, you're never doing any work around the house, like Hana and I, so it's only natural that you fetch medicine for our dear father," she said. _

_Haru nodded, and turned to walk away. Tsuki walked down from the porch and grabbed Haru's shoulder. "Who said you could leave yet!" she demanded. _

_Haru narrowed her eyes at Tsuki. "Who told me to get medicine for my father?" she said coldly. Tsuki's eyes widened in shock. The back of her hand met Haru's cheek in reply. "Don't you dare talk to me that way, you useless wench!" _

_Haru didn't even acknowledge that her sister had slapped her. She simply glared at Tsuki. "Until you start working your share and actually start caring about Hana and father and I, I'll talk to you anyway I want, dear sister," she said, saying 'dear sister' as if it were a cuss word. _

_With that, she turned around, walking away to get medicine for her father. The day she bowed down to her sister was the day she stopped being Haru. She walked along the damp streets, letting herself get soaked by the rain. It was actually soothing. She felt as if the rain was cleansing her of Tsuki._

_The medicine woman's house wasn't very far, a few blocks, maybe. They couldn't afford to buy good medicine from the doctor, so they bought herbs there. One; because her father was too ill to work, and two; because Tsuki wouldn't get up off her lazy arse to find a job. _

_Something was placed over her head to stop the rain. She looked beside her. It shocked her, to see her sister Hana holding an umbrella over her head. Despite the fact that Hana was one year older than she, Hana was still a tad shorter than Haru. _

_Hana smiled, slightly. "I didn't think you would want to get wet, from the rain," she explained, her cheeks flushing ever so slightly._ _Haru looked forward again, paying attention to the street before her. "Why did you come? Shouldn't you be with Tsuki?" _

"_Well, yes, but I decided not to stay with her." _

"_She'll be angry," Haru suggested, she didn't want an underling of her sister to be following her around. "I know, but I don't care," Hana said. _

_Haru stopped walking and looked down at her sister in shock. That was the last thing Haru expected her sister to say. Hana stopped walking as well. Hana shifted her weight from foot to foot, feeling slightly embarrassed as Haru stared. "I never really liked her for bullying you," she explained, "But I followed her anyway, because... she scared me, a little. I don't think it's fair of her to do that." _

_Haru smiled warmly. To think that Hana cared, and wasn't anything like Tsuki, made her happy. She nodded, and said, "Thank you, Hana." _

_Hana looked down at her feet. "It's nothing, really," she said, then looking back up at Haru and saying, "Let's hurry to the medicine woman, we need to get the herbs." _

Haru remembered that she and Hana had walked to the medicine woman together, sharing the umbrella the whole time. She should have known her sister disagreed with Tsuki, because many times before Hana had intervened when Tsuki went too far. More memories continued to flood Haru's mind.

_Haru and Hana were getting close to the house, a small bag full of medicine in Haru's hand. Tsuki stood on the front porch, hands on her hips. "What took you two so long!" she demanded, her high-pitched voice invading their ears, causing them to look up at her. "Tsuki, you must have forgotten that the medicine woman was five blocks away. Or, it might just be that you've never gone there yourself," Hana said, walking past Tsuki (whose jaw had dropped, let me tell you. What a delightful sight) into the house. Haru followed her, heading toward her father's room. The medicine woman instructed them to give the herbs to their father right away. _

_But when Hana opened the door... she covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide. She was pointing to the room. "Hana? What's wro-"_

_She stopped, looking into the room, her eyes following the direction Hana was pointing. Her father was laying in bed, his eyes wide open. Not even blinking. Haru ran over to the side of the bed. "Father?" she asked. "Father, we've got the medicine."_

_He didn't move. "...Daddy?" she whispered. She could feel tears begin to form in the corners of her eyes. She had known he was dying... she had known... then why was she crying?_ _She closed his eyes. Eyes that would never open again. _

_Hana walked over, and put a hand on Haru's shoulder. "Haru... it's okay... he.." she was beginning to tear up as well. "He's with mother now..." _

_Haru let out a sob, salty tears falling onto the bed._

_ End of Flashback _

Haru had never suspected he'd die so suddenly, though. At least she could have said goodbye. But as Hana said... he was with mother. He was happy and healthy now.

She sighed, wiping her eyes dry. "I just never suspected..." she murmured. She looked out the window once more, smiling as she saw the children play and laugh as they tossed around a rubber ball. How cheerful and happy they were, without a care in the world. Sometimes, she wished she could go back to being that way.

Pushing the dismal memories from her mind, she began to think about that stupid blonde again. That smirk... that stupid, mocking smirk. That stupid, stupid blonde! How he angered her! She just wanted to punch him!

She let out a sigh. Getting angry wouldn't make her feel better. At all. She stood from the chair, walking back upstairs. "I'm going to go find that stupid blonde... I have a few questions for that stupid, stupid blondie.." she mumbled.

_-_

There is was! Chapter 6! Chapter 7 will be so much more interesting! And, I'll have you all know, that my writer's block has been cured! (For now.) Oh, and just to not confuse you, Rikka isn't Risa's grandmother, she's a character I made up. It's only by coincidence. Sorry if anyone got confused. ;o;

- Dancing Lights


	7. To Die

_**Unlucky **_

_**By : Dancing Lights **_

Hehe, I wanted to update fast. ;o;

_**-x-x-x-x-x-x-**_

Haru walked downstairs, dressed in a plain sweater and a skirt. A scarf hung loosely around her neck. She had nothing better to do, so she decided to go find that blonde... and ask him why had he really taken her to his castle.

She walked out of the Inn, closing the door behind her. She tightened her scarf as the bitter cold air hit her skin. She was glad to have such long hair; it kept her neck warm. But the unusual thing was, her hair was a light pink. Her sisters' hair were jet black, like her fathers. '_Must've inherited this hair from my mother, I suppose...' _

She wouldn't know. She hardly knew anything about her mother; except that she had been beautiful when she was alive. But she frequently imagined, in her mind, what her mother would have looked like.

She walked down the cobblestone street, eyeing the shops and watching people perform their daily duties. She walked for a while, until she reached the gate, the entrance – and exit – of Lilydew Town. She pushed it open, nodding to the guards and signaling that she was going out.

The road leading outside of town went into a forest. The trees were dark, and loomed over Haru as she approached the forest. "Hm..."

She would most likely find the castle if she walked for a while, she would probably remember part of the way, since Dark and Daisuke had taken her home on this road.

It was twilight, yet the forest was rather darker than everywhere else. Bushes rustled every once in a while, and birds (mostly crows) sang goodnight to the forest. But she wasn't nervous; there was really nothing to be afraid of here. Just a forest. '_Of course_', she thought, _'There is a small chance I might get lost.'_

She sat down on a fairly-large rock, contemplating on the subject. She looked around. "Hm..." Twigs, branches, dead leaves, a berry bush... wait. A berry bush? She stood and walked over to the bush. Plump, red berries grew on the plant. "Oh, I know."

She spent a few minutes picking berries and using her sweater as a basket. Then, when her "sweater basket" was quite full, she began to walk down the path again. Every few steps, she threw a berry or two behind her, to mark her path. "This is perfect. And when I find that castle, I'll just follow these berries in the direction I came from," she smiled gleefully.

But every plan has it's faults. After a while, her sweater basket has grown quite empty, and she still hadn't made it to the castle yet. "Oh, if I had known it was so far..." she pouted, plopping down on a log. She let out a sigh. There were no other berry bushes around, and she certainly wasn't going to leave the road. Her 'brilliant' plan had failed. Well, at least part of the path was marked, right?

She rested her chin in her hands. "Well, at least I'm off of work for today. So Gurei won't be pissed if I'm late back," she mumbled. "I wonder if his castle is close by. If it is, I can just... huh?"

She noticed something, between the trees. It was some sort of bluish glow. "What' s that?" Haru said under her breath, standing up and walking toward it. Hidden behind a cluster of trees was a dirt path. "Hm.. Well, it wouldn't hurt to see what it is."

She brushed off her skirt, and headed down the path toward the blue glow. The pathway ended, the trees opening up into a small clearing. The sky was barely visible here, like the rest of the forest. Not that it would help, anyway, it was near dusk already.

In the middle of the clearing was a small pond, that glowed in a bluish, ethereal light. All was quiet, not even animals stirred here. Tiny, seemingly weightless balls of light floated over the surface of the pond.

Haru knelt beside the pond, catching one of the lights with her hands. "It's cute." She whispered. She poked it with her finger. Well, I can wager that this is what most girls would say. Haru, being a girl, is no different.

The little light vanished, reappearing over the pond. Haru smiled. "Wow," she said. "I never knew something like this was here."

She looked at the pond once more, wondering how deep it went. She was slightly shocked when she couldn't see the bottom. But the longer she looked into it's depths, the more light-headed she felt. It was as if it were drawing her in, calling out to her.

Almost instantly, she felt the bitter cold of the water as she plunged into the bottomless depths of the pool, an unknown force dragging her down to her demise. She struggled, trying in her best attempt to swim to the surface, but to no avail. The water continued to drag her down.

_Just give in. _

A small voice whispered. Haru opened her eyes. She could see the surface of the water, and the world beyond it, becoming farther and farther away as she sank. No one else, from what she saw, was in the water with her.

'_What?'_

_Yes... give in, just give in. This is what you want, isn't it? To die? To stay here... _

'_To die? But... that's not what I want!' _

_Don't deny your fate. You should stay here with us. You can never deny it._

'_No! I want to live! I don't want to die! Let me out!' _

_Let yourself die here, _the voice hissed.

"NO!" she screamed, letting out the last bit of air that would have saved her. _'Someone... help...' _Was the last thought that went through her mind, before everything went black.


	8. You're Awake

_**U n l u c k y**_

**_By: D a n c i n g L i g h t s_**

Here's chapter 8! Hope you all enjoy!

_Insert text here - _Thoughts.

**_Chapter 8 - Y o u ' r e A w a k e_**

"You may leave Elma."

The sound of a door closing woke Haru from her slumber. Eyes still closed, she sat up. Now, let's all remember that Haru isn't the "waking up" type. As you all remember – she's slow at things when she wakes up. Stretching, and expecting to see her room, she opened her eyes.

Her eyes widened in shock. This wasn't her room... it was… where had she seen this room before? Looking down, she realized she was wearing a white nightgown. Her mind raced for a few moments as she searched for conclusions, before she finally realized.

'_I'm in the room from before, in… in that castle!'_

Her fear building up, she began to remember the happenings of the night before. _'I was_ _drowning… shouldn't I be dead?'_

The horrible voice from the pool still echoed in her ears.

_Let yourself die here! _

But nonetheless, she was alright.

"You're awake," said a charming voice with a slight accent to it, coming from the corner of the room. Her head turning toward the origin of the voice, Haru's eyes widened as her gaze landed upon the Vampire King… Krad.

"How did I get here?" was the first thing she asked. He chuckled. "I brought you here, obviously."

Haru's gaze had been wandering around the room, as she tried to surpress the fear that was building up in her stomach. There was no dust in the room now, in fact, everything was clean. But nothing had changed since she'd escaped, even the book "Rapunzel" was still in the same position she had left it. When he had answered, her eyes landed on him. "Why?"

He frowned at her question. "You needed help. I happened to be passing by."

Haru highly doubted that, though she kept silent. Looking away, her eyes landed on a chair on the other side of the room, where her clothes were neatly folded. Krad let out a sigh, walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed. She edged away slightly, not really wanting to sit next to him. Her grip on the bed sheets tightened.

"I suppose I should explain," he stated, his gaze directed to the wall.

Looking at him now, she noticed that his hair looked nice in the sunlight. The light just added more radiance to his golden-colored hair.

"That pond," he began, "Draws in unsuspecting humans, to feed off their life energy. Their souls, as you humans call it. If one stays in there too long… they are trapped there. Forever."

She shivered at the thought. That was what would have happened to her, if Krad hadn't 'happened to pass by.' _I guess I owe him, _she thought. "Um… thank you," she said. His voice was calm, and for some reason, she didn't feel all that scared anymore when she listened to it. He turned to face her, his eyes holding hers for a moment. With a gloved hand, he brushed a lock of her hair away from her face. "It wasn't a problem," he said softly.

Standing up, he walked away, over to the door. "I'm assuming you're hungry. Come have breakfast." With that, he walked out, closing the door behind him. As soon as she heard the door close, she stared at the door for a few moments, before getting out of bed, walking over to the chair on which her clothes sat upon. Looking down at the white gown she wore, she hoped it was Elma who had changed her clothes, like last time.

After changing into her clothes, she folded the night gown and set it on the chair. Walking to the door, she opening it, walking out. She wondered how she would find the dining room… she had gotten lost the last time she was here.

As soon as she walked into the hall, she almost walked into Elma. She backed up a bit. "Sorry," said Haru, feeling slightly embarrassed, "I didn't know anyone was out here."

Elma's lips curved into a soft smile. "It's alright, it wasn't your fault. Now… Master Krad has given me the task of leading you to the dining room. Please follow me." She turned, and began walking away. Well, that is if you consider floating to be walking. Nodding, Haru followed the ghost woman, walking in silence.

They walked in silence the whole way, and it was a while before Elma finally stopped in front of a door, saying, "Here we are. The dining room."

Walking over to the door, she took the handle, then turned around. "Thank yo--"

She stopped in mid-sentence. The mysterious, transparent woman was gone. Haru blinked. "Strange." Turning back around, she opened the door.

"Hello Haru. I've been waiting."

_**-x-x-x-x-x-x-**_

Muaha! Chapter 8, finished! Please read & review!


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